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(No Medef) G.- P. HERNDON.

SHOE.

No. 485,543. Patented NOV. l, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE P. HERNDON, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,543, dated November 1, 1892.

Application tiled May 28, 1892. Serial No. 434,751. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. HERNDON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jederson an d State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boot orShoe Uppers,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of boots and shoes, and has for its principal object to provide an upper so constructed as to furnish an ankle-brace composed of leather or other eXible but non-elastic material and which shall yet be of sufficient ri gidity to afford an adequate support-to the ankle without exerting such pressure as to retard the circulation.

Another purpose of the invention is to so arrange the said brace as to strengthen the counter at its narrowest and weakest portions; and a further object of the invention is the utilization of such fragments of stock as would be otherwise of comparatively-small value or wholly useless in the manufacture of shoes.

To the accomplishment of these results my invention consists in a boot or shoe having its quarter composed of a front piece, a heel-piece, and an intermediate approximately-V-shaped ankle portion or brace of the saine or similar material as that of said front and heel pieces and preferably joined therewith by downwardly-convergin g seams, one or both of which may be extended, together with the lower portion of said ankle-brace, across the narrow front portion of the counter, thereby forming a combined ankle and counter brace or supporter. By this mode of constructing a boot or shoe upper I am not only able to eect a large saving of material in utilizing small pieces of leather or other stock that might otherwise be wasted, but I also provide a firm and comfortable bracing support for the ankle and at the same time strengthen the counter at the points where it is most apt to give way or turn outward.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation of a shoe provided with my improved upper. Fig. 2 is a plan of a shoe-upper constructed according to my invention.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the heel-piece of the quarter, which may, if desired, be formed in two pieces of the general lform shown in Fig. 2, connected by a heel-seam 2 and suitably crimped; or, if preferred', the heel-seam 2 may be omitted and the heel-piece l be formed in a single piece.

The numeral 3 designates the separate front pieces of the quarterwhich may be suitably formed to meet the requirements of a laced or button shoe.

In my improved boot or shoe quarter the heel-piece l and separate front pieces 3 are connected by an interposed anklebracing portion 4, which is approximately V-shaped and composed of leather or other flexible but nonelastic material.

According to the preferred construction, as

illustrated in the drawings, the upper portion v of the ankle brace or support is the wider, and its sides are gradually tapered inward and downward to its lower end. The side edges of this ankle-brace 4 are firmly connected to the front pieces and heel piece or pieces by preferably converging seams 5, one or both of which may be extended, together with the lower portion of the brace 4, across the front narrow portions of the counter, (indicated by the dotted line 6 in Fig. l.) The ankle-brace 4 may be made of more than one thickness, if desired, or it may be constructed of heavier leather than thatcomposing the quarters. I have found, however, that very good results are obtained by making the entire upper from the same stock, as the seams 5, that connect the brace 4 to the front and heel pieces, will impart such rigidity as to form a very efficient brace even when light stock is used.

It will be' apparent that the upper portion of the bracing-piece 4 is adapted to afford a irm support to the ankle of the person wearing the shoe and that where the lower portion of said bracing-piece crosses the outside of the front narrow portion of the counter it willsecurely brace and strengthen the latter at its weakest points. In a shoe of this construction the bracing-piece 4, while providing a firm support for the ankle, does not bind the ankle tightly at anytime, and consequently will not retard the circulation, as is likely to be the case with elastic gored shoes. While the leather-bracing piece or ankle-support 4 is sufficiently iiexible or yielding to afford a comfortable and easy fit, it will never give or IOO stretch, as an elastic gore does after more or less Wear. On the contrary, in a shoe constructed according to my invention the leather is closely held against the ankle at all times, especially in Walking, when support is most needed. My invention is applicable to ladies high-top button boots, as Well as other button o1` laced shoes, and will give more support to the ankle than can be obtained from an elastie-gered or Congress shoe, besides affording a more perfect fit.

That I claim as my invention is A boot or shoe having its quarters each cornposed of a front piece, a heel-piece, and an intermediate approximately-V-shaped ankle brace or support consisting of leatheror other flexible but somewhat-rigid non-elastic Inaterial inserted between the said front piece and heel-piece of each qnarter,the said parts secured together substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and aixed my seal in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE P. I-IERNDON. LL.

Vitnesses:

J. HARRIS AUBIN, FRANCIS B. PATTEN. 

